A king and a princess
by AcaciaDawn
Summary: This is my first fanfiction, PLEASE read. Thank you all who read it. Acacia is a Telmarain princess, younger sister to Prince Caspian the Tenth. The siblings are chased from home and meet the Narnians, then a certain quartet of royals enter the picture...
1. Chapter 1

A king and a princess

Chapter One.

I couldn't sleep; my dreams were bothering me again. Sigh. I climbed out of my bed and swung my legs over the side, recoiling as my bare feet met cold stone floor. My name is Acacia… like the rare tree in the world of the Kings and Queens of Old. A girl of fifteen, you would think that I wouldn't go into my brother's room when I have nightmares, but I do because he is the music that lulls me to sleep.

"Caspian?" I asked drowsily, opening the door to my older brother's room, "Caspian." I said again, shaking him gently. He turned over and looked at me.

"Caci?" that was his pet name for me, "What's the matter?" but one look at my emerald-fire eyes, and he knew, "Your dreams?" I just nodded, "Come here, lie down." So I climbed over him and lay down, curling up next to him.

This was something I had done since we were tiny. And Caspian used to take me out of my crib and take me back into his room. The steady beat of his heart, and the soft in-and-out rhythm of his breathing, that was my lullaby. I could feel my self already falling into a dreamless slumber.

Caspian POV

I was suddenly awoken by a rough hand over my mouth, I jerked awake. It was just his professor, Cornelius.

"Five more minutes." I pushed his hand off and turned over just as he told me,

"You will not be gazing at the stars tonight, my Prince. Come, we must go."

I looked at Professor Cornelius, and then looked at Acacia, who was asleep on my left arm.

"Bring her, as well. She's in grave danger as well."

So I gently shook my sister awake, "Acacia, wake up."

Acacia POV

I blinked my eyes sleepily.

"Caspian? What-" we heard clamoring in my room, next door. Caspian just grabbed my arm and pulled me into his wardrobe. He closed the doors and we heard the door open. Armored men moved silently across Caspian's room, and assembled in a semi-circle, raising crossbows. At the signal, they released the bolts, right where we had been asleep just moments before.

"Children, come!" Cornelius beckoned us through the false door in the back of the closet.

I had only gone two steps, glanced at my door and realized that I was still in my nightgown.

"Wait!" I started back to my false door that through my wardrobe.

"Acacia, we don't have time!" Caspian tried to grab my arm, but I just danced away.

"I'll be fine. Go! I'll meet you in the stables." And at that I went back into my room.

I quickly went through what I needed. I pulled on my dark cotton breeches, a white long-sleeve shirt, a pair of sturdy boots, my corselet (like a corset, but only an accessory), a cloak with a hood, my sword, knives, whip, throwing stars, and my quiver and bow. I very quickly brushed and braided my hair, then went back through the door. I slipped down to the stables and found that Caspian and the professor weren't there yet.

So, in the time it took them to get down to the armory for a sword and knife for Caspian, and got to the stables; I already had my horse, Bésa Mé, saddled and ready.

"Took you long enough! If we're going to get out of here alive, you have to move faster." I helped get his horse, Destrier, saddled. Caspian mounted with me doing the same,

"Make for the woods, they will not follow you there." and Cornelius handed him a small, cloth-wrapped bundle, "Take this; it has taken me many years to find it." He told Caspian.

"Will we ever see you again, professor?" I asked him almost tearful.

"I do not know, my dear. There is so much more that I meant to tell you two. Everything you know is about to change." We heard more clamoring outside, shouting orders, "Go!" So, we rode.

The soldiers were trying to stop us, but somehow we made it out without being made into Swiss cheese.

"A son! A son! Lady Prunaprisma has, this night, given Lord Miraz a son!" A crier yelled as fireworks started going off.

I knew what had happened, our uncle, Miraz, had tried to kill us. Miraz was the brother of our father, who was the king. Our mother had died giving birth to another boy, but neither of them had lived more than 24 hours. King Caspian the Ninth was our father and my brother was Prince Caspian the Tenth. (King Caspian, regrettably, died in his sleep a few years prior to this story.) Now, as we rode for our very lives, I could not help but feel both severely betrayed and, also, a deep anger, red hot. When Caspian came of age, he would become king, but if he died, the throne would pass to me after I got married. It was a completely different story if we both were killed. That would mean that Miraz either got the throne or his new son would, one day.

We had finally entered the woods just as dawn broke, and I looked back to see the soldiers stop for only a moment before coming after us again. Caspian looked back at them and, suddenly, I heard thud. I stopped Bésa Mé and turned right as Destrier went bolting past me… without Caspian on his back. I looked around and saw him lying on the ground about thirty feet away.

"Caspian!" I rode towards him but he stopped me.

"I'm fine. Go catch Destrier, before he gets too far away." I nodded and went after him.

However, I had just caught him when I heard someone blowing a horn. Some random instinct told me that whoever was blowing it, was in serious trouble. But my "sister's instinct" told me that it was Caspian blowing the horn. So, I tethered Destrier to Bésa Mé, led them back to the place where I had stopped the first time, and when I got there I pulled out my bow and notched an arrow.

"Casp?" I called out, "Casp!"

I saw a small sliver of light in a humongous tree stump off to the side. I also heard whispering and had to strain my ears to hear what they were saying.

"What's that?" a gruff voice asked.

"I don't know, but I think it has something to do with the boy." Answered a gentler voice.

"Hello?" I called out looking over to the light.

"Should we show ourselves?" asked the gentle voice.

"Why? It's just another Telmarain by the looks of it."

"Casp, where are you?"

"He seems genuinely concerned about the boy." It whispered, then out loud it called to me, "Who are you?" It was a badger, walking on its hind legs and talking.

"I would ask you the same question, but by the looks of things at the moment, I would guess that you're a Narnian. Anyway, I have a more important question. What did you do with him?"

"The boy is fine, well…sort of. Nikabrik knocked him on the head. He's unconscious at the time. Come in, I need help bandaging his head." The badger ushered me into the tree and I found a Black Dwarf sitting at the small table. He shot up, grabbed his sword (which was the length of one of my daggers) and yelled,

"What did you bring that thing in here for?"

"He has some connection to the other one. I'm not going to ask what it is, because that would be rude at the moment."

I agreed with the badger, though I did not state it. I didn't know these creatures, and therefore I didn't trust them. Of course, the badger had been kind to me, but that was canceled out because the Dwarf had hurt Caspian and didn't want me there.

"Where is he?" I asked again.

"Back here. By the way, that's Nikabrik, and I'm Trufflehunter." He introduced.

"Nice to meet you…sort of." I followed Trufflehunter into the next room and gasped at the sight of my beloved brother with blood trickling down his cheek. "What happened?" I took a damp rag and laid it on his forehead to stanch the bleeding.

"I told you, Nikabrik hit him."

"With what? A rock?"

"Close, but no. With the hilt of his sword." At those words, all my anger, at my uncle and at the Dwarf, boiled over. I stormed into the kitchen and grabbed the Dwarf by the collar, lifting him up against a wall.

"Why? Why would you smash him in the head with your stupid sword? Hu?"

"Trufflehunter, get him off of me." He was calm and that ticked me off.

"Now, now, let's not be hostel."

"Hostel? HA! I'm way past hostel. You could have killed him! Don't you get that?"

"Yes. And I'm starting to think that I should have." He smiled and I threw him down.

"Stupid Dwarf." I muttered to myself, as I sank to the floor with tears coming down my cheeks.

"Son, why don't you come help me get his armor off, then I'll make some soup." I just nodded, too numb to correct him that I was a girl.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two-Historian

After taking off Caspian's armored vest, cloak, and weapons (which consisted of a sword and a dagger) I sat down at the small table eating the soup and bread that Trufflehunter put in front of me.

"I'll just take him some soup, he should be waking up soon."

"Yeah, well I don't think I hit him hard enough." I shot Nikabrik a glare.

"Nikabrik, he's just a boy!"

He's a Telmarain, not some lost puppy!" they were arguing about Caspian again.

"Well, we can't just kill him, I just bandaged his head. It would be like murdering a guest."

"Yeah? And how do you think their friends are treating their guest?"

"Trumpkin knew what he was doing, it isn't the boy's fault." Just then, Caspian came barreling out of the room where we had put him to sleep. He was about half-way to the door when Nikabrik blocked his way with his sword.

"STOP!" Trufflehunter and I yelled at the same time that Caspian grabbed a poker from the fireplace.

"I told you we should have killed them when we had the chance."

"You know why we can't!" Then Caspian jumped in.

"If we're taking a vote, I'm with him."

"Well we can't just let them go. They've seen us!" He yelled as he forced Caspian to fall against the wall.

"Nikabrik! Stop! Or do I have to sit on your head again?" Trufflehunter threatened. I, however, just sat there the entire time, afraid that I spoke, I would be turned on as well. The badger then turned to my brother to chastise him, "And you! Look what you made me do." he bent to pick up the bowl of spilled soup. "I spent half the morning on that soup."

"Wha-what are you?" Caspian asked hesitantly.

"You know, it's funny that you should ask that. You would think that more people would know a badger when they see one." he chuckled.

"No, I mean...you're Narnians. You're supposed to be extinct."

"Hu, well sorry to disappoint you." the Dwarf said flatly, turning to sit down again.

Trufflehunter set a fresh bowl down on the table where I was still frozen, "Here you are, still hot."

"Since when did we open a boarding house for Telmarain soldiers and spies?"

"I am not a soldier," Caspian straightened up.

"Nor am I a spy." I said softly, Caspian seemed to look at me as if he had not known I was there.

"I am Prince Caspian...the Tenth. This is my sister, Princess Acacia."

The Narnians stared at the two of us.

"Wait, your a Telmarain prince, and your a girl...princess?" we nodded, "What are you doing out here?"

"Running away." He looked down and I could see that he could not say any more.

"Our uncle has always been jealous of Caspian. As to the fact that our father was the king, though our uncle was the eldest. Our grandfather, King Caspian the Eighth, thought that our father would make a better king. Since Caspian is the eldest, the throne falls to him once he comes of age. But, if he dies, when I come of age, I will rule in his stead. If I die, the throne goes to our uncle. Perhaps we were only alive because he did not have a male child to inherit the throne after him, and now he does." I finished the story just as tears began to make their way down my face.

"Ohh. Well, that changes things." Trufflehunter mused.

"Yeah, means we won't have to kill you ourselves."

Caspian looked up, "You're right!" he ran to the small pile of his possessions that I had made.

"Wait! Where are you going?" I got up.

"Miraz will not stop until we are dead, you know how persistent he is. We have to go!"

"But you can't just leave." Caspian looked at us, "Don't you know what this is?" Trufflehunter held up the horn. Caspian shook his head, so Trufflehunter looked at me.

"That is the horn of Queen Susan the Gentle, the elder daughter of Eve, second oldest of the royals to sit on the golden thrones of Cair Paravel. It is said to be magic, that, no matter where the bearer is, help will come. It is also fabled that it will call back the Kings and Queens of Old."

"Acacia, how did you know that?" Caspian looked bewildered.

"I was actually awake during more than half the nighttime lessons of the Professor."

"So, when I blew the horn, it called...who?"

"Me. I knew that you were the one in trouble as soon as I heard the sound."

"It might have called to the others. We'll have to go find them." Trufflehunter suggested.

"How? We've been stuck in this tree for ten years and the others have probably migrated."

"We go west, towards Aslan's Howe." they all looked at me again, "My dreams tell me things. The other Narnians will be at or around Aslan's Howe, if no where else. If we want to find them, we'll have to go past the Great River, the Fort of Beruna and through the forest where the Dancing Lawn is."

"Well then, to the Howe it is. We'll leave in a few hours, that way you can sleep." Trufflehunter's last words were directed at me, but it was Caspian who answered.

"I just woke up from being knocked out, I think I'll be fine the rest of the day."

"I don't mean to be rude, but I wasn't talking to you. Your sister hasn't slept, she's been up this entire time."

"I'll be fine, I don't tire easily. We can leave as soon as you're ready."

"Are you sure, Acacia? I can wait a few hours-" but I cut him off.

"No, we should leave now. Miraz will be looking for us. If we don't get moving, he'll catch up with us." I explained, "I can go for a while without sleep, let's go." I got up.

"Very well, if you're sure."

"I'm sure, I can lead the way. If we stop for the night, my dreams will tell me more."

And at that we set off once more to find the very creatures we had been taught to fear.

Peter POV

"I don't remember this way." Lucy complained.

"That's the problem with girls, you can't carry a map in your heads." I joked.

"That's because our heads have something in them." my youngest sibling teased back.

"I wish he'd just listened to the DLF in the first place." I heard Susan whisper.

"DLF?" Edmund questioned.

" 'Dear Little Friend' " answered Lucy.

"That's not at all patronizing, is it?" Trumpkin said flatly. The Dwarf was always grumpy.

I stopped at an open cave, looking around for something familiar.

"I'm not lost." I said, more to my self than to the others.

"No." chimed Trumpkin, "You're just going the wrong way."

"You last saw Caspian in the Shuddering Woods, and the fastest way to get there is to cross at the River Rush."

"And unless I'm mistaken, there's no crossing in these parts."

"Well that's it then, you're mistaken." I didn't like the pessimistic attitude of the Dwarf.

When we got to the river, I had to lean over a cliff and look down to see the water. And, of course, Susan had to be Miss Smart-Mouth about it.

"You see, over time the water erodes the Earth's surface, carving it deeper-"

"Oh, shut up."

"Is there another way down?" Edmund asked.

"Yeah, falling. Come on, there's a crossing at Beruna." and we all tuned to go.

"Aslan?" Lucy gasped, "It's Aslan, look, it's Aslan over there." she pointed, "See, he's right over-" she stopped. There was nothing there.

Acacia POV

_Sigh_. When would we get back into the woods? It was so exposed out in the open of the fields between the forests.

After we finally entered the woods again, I felt safer. Caspian started asking Trufflehunter and Nikabrik questions that I wasn't really paying attention, until he walked past us and Trufflehunter started sniffing the air.

"What is it?" Nikabrik asked.

"Human."

"Him?"

"No, them!" I saw them as well, Telmarain soldiers, coming towards us with crossbows.

"Run!" I shouted, pulling on Caspian. And we ran. I heard Trufflehunter yelp, when I turned to see my brother running to him. He had been shot in the thigh with a bolt.

"AAHHHHH!" I screamed as a bolt dug itself into the muscle of my arm.

"Acacia! Run! NOW!" Caspian yelled at me, as he turned to fight the oncoming soldiers.

"Caspian!"

"I said run. Get yourself and the horn to the Howe, don't stop until you've reached safety!" he handed me the horn, "GO!" So I started running again, only to run right into a centaur. The creature then grabbed me by my hair and turned me around. I saw that the soldiers were lying, dead, in the grass, Caspian was lying on his back with a mouse on his chest.

"Reepicheep! Stay your blade!" Trufflehunter shouted.

"Trufflehunter? I hope you have a very good reason for this untimely interruption." the mouse called Reepicheep said breathlessly.

"He doesn't, go ahead." Nikabrik said.

"He's the one who blew the horn."

"What?"

The centaur holding me with a knife to my throat answered, "Then let him bring it forward."

Caspian's eyes widened at the sight of me under a blade, "I don't have it."

"Then those men took it?"

"No, I didn't allow them the chance. If you want it, you might want to let go of my sister who's holding it in her hands."

Startled by the new fact, he let go of me and I ran down to Caspian, who hugged me in a protective, brotherly way.

"Give it to me." the centaur said, coming forward again.

"Why? You just pulled a knife on me!"

"And I apologize, I did not know that you held the horn of the Old Queen."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three-Trial

When the night came, fury came with it. The Narnians were angry, angry that we had the horn, angry that we were in there woods, and angry that we had led soldiers in with us.

"Murderers!" a Faun yelled.

"Thieves!" a Minotaur called us.

"All this horn proves is that they've stolen yet another thing from us!" Nikabrik told them, and they agreed.

"We didn't steal anything." I told them.

"Didn't steal anything?" said another Minotaur, "Shall we list the things the Telmarains have taken from us?"

"Our homes!"

"Our land!"

"Our lives!"

"You stole Narnia!" the roaring was hurting my head, it was as if I could not breath.

"You would name the crimes of our people and use them against me? Against my sister?" Caspian defended, "You would hold a fourteen-year-old girl and her fifteen-year-old brother accountable for those crimes?"

"Accountable, and punishable." Nikabrik answered.

"Ha!" Reepicheep chimed in, "That's rich coming from you, Dwarf. Or have you forgotten that it was your people who fought alongside the White Witch?"

"And if it would rid us of these barbarians, I would do it again!"

"Then it's a good thing it is not in your power to bring her back. Or are you suggesting we ask these children to go against Aslan now?"

There was an uproar of 'no's around us.

"While the rest of you may have forgotten, we badgers remember, very well, that the land of Narnia was never right unless a Son of Adam and a Daughter of Eve were sat on the throne."

"They're Telmarains, why would we want them as our rulers?"

"Because-" but Caspian could not finish, the noise of the creatures was too much.

"LISTEN!" I yelled, "We can help you. In the world that we lived in, we were royals, a prince and a princess. We have more influence over the people of the Telmarain race then most of the advisors. We want to help you."

"It is true." The centaur who had grabbed me (whose name was Rayn) came forward…again, "I watch the skies, for they are mine to watch, as it is yours to remember, Badger. Tavah, the lord of victory, and Alambeil, the lady of peace, have come together in the high heavens. And now, a Son of Adam and a Daughter of Eve have come forward, to offer us back our freedom."

"Do you really think there could be peace?" asked a squirrel, he was so jumpy.

"Two days ago, neither my sister nor I, believed in Talking Animals, or Dwarves, or Centaurs. And yet here you are, in strength and numbers that we Telmarains could never have imagined." He looked at me, pleading with his eyes to help him.

"It doesn't matter if this horn is magic or not, what matters is that it has brought us together. And together…we have a better chance to take back what is ours." I knew that the fire in my eyes was visible.

"If you will lead us, then my sons and I will lend you our swords." Rayn pulled out a sword that was as long as my body. I suppose that they had to be that long to be in proper proportion with their bodies. All around us weapons were raised to us.

"They will not be far behind, sire."

"I know. We need to hurry to find soldiers and weapons." He looked at me, "Acacia?"

I knew what he wanted to know, "I usually have to be asleep for my visions to come, but I can try." I went to the center of the Dancing Lawn, "Listen, I need you all to be silent for a few moments. I'll explain after I'm done." they instantly quieted, "Thank you." and so I sat where I was standing. Closing my eyes, I prayed to any and all the gods.

Then it happened. A rush of colors, colors formed pictures, pictures formed scenes. Miraz was forming a bridge at Beruna. They had wagons full of weapons. The wagons were on the other side of Beruna, we would have to go now or tomorrow night.

_ Gasp_. I came back to the present. They were all staring at me again.

"Beruna. Our uncle is building a bridge, they have many weapons there. But they're in wagons on the other side of the river. There are too many men to attack in broad daylight, so we'll have to do it sometime tonight or tomorrow night."

"Sire, if you wish, I will take your sister to the Howe and you and the others can go in the attack party." Reepicheep volunteered.

I could see Caspian about to agree, but I intervened, "No, I'm going with you. You could use as many fighters as possible."

"Acacia, I don't know if that's a good idea. You're wounded, and you're a girl."

"So? It's only my shield arm that's wounded. And don't start on the whole 'You're a girl' garbage. You know as well as I do that I'm a better fighter than you. I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself."

"Fine, you can go. But don't blame me if you get hurt again."

"I won't." he was such a sucker for the puppy face; it almost felt wrong…almost, but not really. I turned back to the Narnians, "Come on everyone, follow me." and I started in the direction of the river.

"Acacia." Caspian sounded irritated, "Why, may I ask, must we follow you?"

"Because, I'm the one that knows exactly where the enemy is. They didn't say they would follow you only. The Telmarains don't know that I came with you willingly. Miraz will tell them that we were kidnapped by the Narnians, and if we attack he will tell them that you were not kidnapped, but ran away to them. He'll make them think that you either took me against my will, or the Narnians did." I forgot to breathe during my rant, so I had to gasp for breath, "Also, if he makes them think that you took me, then I can walk up to them and they would think I escaped."

"Well…everyone always did like you better than me. I supposed your right." he raised an eyebrow at me, "If you can fool them, then do so and we will get the supplies."

Nodding, I started walking again, and this time, they followed.

Caspian POV

My sister was such a persuasive little nit sometimes. I could see her reasoning; she always thought things through completely and quickly. Acacia was a true warrior and scholar, but it irritated me how easily I gave into her will all of the time. It wasn't bad that she was slick as a snake, but it was the fact that no girl in the Telmarain world should be that persuasive, or that good at getting everyone to like her.

I never understood why people loved her, but I always thought it had something to do with the fact that she didn't look like a normal Telmarain. Telmarains had tan skin and black hair, with dark eyes and a thick build for men, a slim build for the women. Acacia, on the other hand, had lightly tanned skin (even though she spent as much time outside as I did, if not more), brown hair that had honey streaks in it, with emerald eyes and a lean body (which in the real world might be associated with an athletic high school girl).

"Caspian!" she whispered urgently, bringing me out of my internal monologue. She snapped her fingers in front of my face, "Come on, Caspian, snap out of it. I'm going to stumble out to Glozelle and make them think I escaped you. After I give the signal, you and the others will sneak up and get the weapons and some metal for armor. Got it?"

"What's the signal?" I asked, only to see her amused smile.

"I'll cough a few times, as soon as you hear it, get out there and then get back."

"Got it." she got up and started to get up, but I grabbed her and hugged her, "Be careful, Méha. I could not stand it if you got hurt because of me." she smiled, with tears in her eyes. The tears caught me off guard, she never cried, not even when Mother died, then I realized that she was using tears as a prop to fool the guards.

"Caspian?"

"Yes?"

"I need you to do something for me before I go out there."

"What?

"Hit me."

"What?" now that was something I could never do.

"Hit me across the face, that way they think you hit me because I wouldn't join you."

"Acacia, my flower, you ask something of me that I will never be able to do. I can't hurt you, especially if I know that I did it on purpose."

"If you don't, I'll have Rayn do it. I might even need another cut to thoroughly make them think I did escape."

"Fine!" I hate when she does this, "Hold still." I raised my fist and slammed it across her face. She fell, but did not cry out.

"Thank you. Now for the cut." my darling sister pulled out her own knife and drew it along her arm over the arrow wound to make it into a cut instead of a puncture.

"Now I'm ready."

This time, when she stood up, I did not stop her. This was the plan, and she was a great actress, maybe too good of one.

Acacia POV

I deliberately stumbled out of the woods, sobbing (pretending of course).

"General Glozelle!" I ran to him.

"Princess Acacia?" he got up, "What are you doing out here? Where is your brother?" I hugged him, letting the crocodile tears roll down my cheeks.

"I only just got away. He grabbed me during the night, telling me all kinds of terrible things about Uncle Miraz. Saying that he wanted us dead, that we needed to get away. And when we finally got to the forest, he took me to these creatures." I coughed three times.

"Now, now. You're safe. He can no longer hurt you." I saw Caspian over Glozelle's shoulder. "Come let us sit." he was about to turn and see Caspian, who froze, as did the Narnians.

"No!" he looked at me again, "I mean…why must we sit? I am restless from running away from my only brother."

"Then all the more reason for you to sit, you must calm down. Eat, sleep perhaps." he turned again and there was nothing I could do to stop him from seeing my quarry. And once he saw them, he looked at me. I smiled at him, "Poor trusting Glozelle, what will he tell Miraz? He let the fugitives go."

"Men! To arms! We are under attack!" he yelled, I punched him in the stomach when he tried to pull his sword on me.

The others were fighting as well. And right now, we were winning, but only because they had just woken and we were wide awake.

"You treacherous little-" but he never finished his sentence.

"Watch your language, General. You're in the presence of the princess." I hit him again, but this time with my sword hilt, and on the back of his head, that's why he didn't finish his threatening. "Caspian!" he looked at me, "Get the weapons!" I yelled as I grabbed a giant bundle of crossbows and arrows. "Narnians! To me!" and they got the things we needed and we ran.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four-Royals

"Now where do we go, Miss Know It All?" Caspian was seriously getting on my nerves now.

"Caspian, we're going to Aslan's Howe, it's a few hours from here, walking. We have weapons, food, and soldiers, now all we need is shelter."

"Why can't we just ride our horses?"

"Because that's not fair to everyone else. Maybe the centaurs won't care, but we have Fauns, Satyrs, Dwarves, and other little creatures that can't run that fast. We have to pace ourselves, let them be…oh." I felt strange, dizzy.

"Acacia? What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I feel…nauseous." Then I saw them. Four children, walking with obvious authority. I could not see their faces, but the meaning of the vision was clear.

The Kings and Queens were here.

"Acacia?" I was pulled out of my stupor by the sound of Caspian's voice. I opened my eyes and saw him kneeling over me.

"Caspian?" I still felt a bit lightheaded.

"Shh. Just lie still for a moment. What happened?"

"I don't know, I've never had a vision that has come on its own unless I'm asleep."

"You had a vision?" Rayn asked.

"Yes."

"Caci," Caspian made me look at him, "What did you see?"

"The kings and queens. Their back in Narnia. And they're looking for us."

"What do they look like?" Rayn asked.

"I didn't see their faces. It was as if they were close enough to touch, but far enough that I couldn't identify their faces. Or as if I wasn't allowed to." I shook my head in defeat.

"How far are we from the Howe?" Caspian asked with concern.

"Not far. Perhaps a two or three hour walk. But if you are in a hurry, I can take her there now and the rest of you can catch up later." Rayn offered.

"That's-" I cut him off…again.

"I'm fine, just a bit woozy. We can continue." I got up to show that I was alright.

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Can we go now?" Caspian just shook his head and kept walking.

Peter POV

When I look at my family, I see many different things. Lucy is quiet and gentle…until you cross her. Edmund is more feisty, with a fire that comes out when you least expect it to, and though he used to be very mean to Lucy, now he's almost as protective as I am. Susan…ah Susan, the Know-It-All, book worm, smart one, she constantly tried to see things as logical, even if they were anything but.

Now that I think back on everything that has happened to us, I realize that we have grown, not only as a family, but individually as well. That was what I was thinking about when I fell asleep last night. But when I woke up, I found that I had forgotten about one of Lucy's most annoying traits. Curiosity. It killed the cat, so they say.

When I woke up, something immediately told me that something wasn't right. Lucy was gone. I followed her footprints (I having always been the best tracker in our time) to see her about to walk right into the sight of a Minotaur. They worked for the White Witch last time we were here, and who knows what has happened since then. I grabbed her, putting my hand over her mouth t keep her from screaming. As soon as she saw it was me, she calmed. I signaled her to stay quiet, then came out from behind the bush, pulling my sword out as I went.

As I was about to smite the creature, someone attacked me from the right. It was a young man, about the same age as me, dark skin and hair and a scowl that showed he meant business. His sword went flying, mine did, too. He kicked me and then scrambled to my sword. I picked up a rock the size of my fist, and just as I was about to hit him in the head, someone else attacked me as well.

"No!" he cried. Whoever it was wrestled the rock from my hand, then somehow managed to get on top of me, sitting rider's style, with a knife to my throat. I kicked him off, only to realize, as hestood up, that _he _was a _she_, and she was poised for an attack. Apparently oblivious to the fact that her hood had fallen, she lunged at me again, this time my dagger was out as well and both of them bit into each other. Yet again, she managed to overpower me, but now she had me by the hair, her knife cut my side as I twisted to get away.

"STOP!" a small voice screamed, the girl looked to see who had told her to stop her attack. It was Lucy, with Edmund and Susan. I felt the girl's grip loosen the slightest bit.

"It can't be?" she whispered. She let go of me and turned me to face her. Her eyes searched my face, my body and those of my family. _GASP!_ "No, no, no, no. I…I-" she couldn't finish, because at that moment, she realized her mistake. "My lord?" she asked.

"Lord?" I analyzed her. She was pretty, no doubt about that. Hair with what appeared to be every shade of brown that was possible, eyes that reminded of me the forests in England, her body made me think of the Dryads that used to roam with us. She was almost perfect, save for the bruise on her cheek and the cuts that obviously still bled on her arms.

"Acacia? What is it?" the boy asked her.

"It's them! It's the Kings and Queens of Old!" Acacia seemed to know us somehow. Then I looked at the boy next to her.

"Prince Caspian?" I thought of the description that Trumpkin gave us.

"Yes." he answered.

Acacia POV

After the fight, when we got back to the Howe, I went straight to my room and sat there, staring at my hands that almost killed the High King. It was so familiar, strangely so, as if it had happened before.

_I'll have to sleep on it, see what my dreams tell me._ _Maybe it's just that I've been waiting for them for a while. I hope I haven't scared him off, I would like to get to know them._

But the question wasn't if they would talk to me, but if they would forgive me.

_Knock, knock._

Sound startled me out of my thoughts, I was not expecting anyone.

_Who is it? Wait, no, out loud stupid!_

"Who is it?" I called.

"It's High King Peter, may I come in?" _May he come in? He doesn't have to ask, he's the High King. He could just open my door and come in. Stupid, no one does that unless it's their room. _

"It's open." he opened the door and I immediately stood and bowed, "My lord. I apologize for earlier, I did not know who you were, and I did not bother to look for your siblings. I was stup-" he cut me off.

"I don't blame you, and I do not hold a grudge," he smiled at me, the most wonderful smile, perfect white teeth, and full rosy lips. His hair was the color of sand, and his eyes, beautiful, blue like the ocean and just as deep, "What is it?" he asked me, "Is there something on my face?" his hand went up to brush away any imperfection, though there was none.

"No, there's nothing, my brain just stopped for a moment, I apologize."

"For what?"

"For…everything that has happened to your Majesties from the moment you set foot in Narnia again."

"Why would that be your fault? I don't see how you could have made me forget the simple laws of science. The Earth changes over time, and it has been thirteen hundred years since I last saw Narnia. It was not your fault that you did not know me, for I did not expect anyone to recognize us."

"But I knew you were here. I should have gone to find you, but instead I attacked you."

"You couldn't have known we were in Narnia, because you were here." he was confused now.

"I have visions. Though I could not see your face, I would have known you on sight if I had gone to find you. But the only reason I attacked you was because I saw you fighting with my brother."

"Visions? Wait, brother?" now he was even more confused.

"Yes, Caspian is my brother." I explained patiently.

"But you two look nothing alike."

"I take after my mother, sire, he takes after our father. I was always told that I was a rare beauty, one that is no longer found here in Narnia."

"Well, whoever told you that was right." I was shocked by his forwardness, and he saw that. "I mean…um…" he was looking for the right words.

"It's alright, my Lord. I understand, my uncle said the same thing. But sometimes beauty is a curse. In many people, beauty is only skin-deep."

"And you think this of yourself?"

"Yes, at least, I do sometimes. I would sometimes rather be ugly and with a good heart, than beautiful with everyone only looking at that."

"You must not let yourself think that. You are beautiful, I know not only from seeing you here in front of me, but also from what happened when you attacked me. Only a girl of _true_ beauty, would risk running into a fight when the other does not know that you are a girl, and be willing to fight a hardened warrior, all for the sake of her brother." he winked at me, "You are a true beauty." he came closer, taking my hands, "Remember that." and with that, he left me with more to think about than almost me almost killing him.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter Five-Training._

_This is it, Acacia. Time to beg forgiveness, from him and the other Royals._

"Peter, _Peter!"_ Queen Lucy gestured towards me, and they all looked around.

"Hello," I said shyly, "May I sit with you?"

Peter and Lucy's faces broke into grins, while Susan and Edmund simply sat there. They obviously hadn't forgiven me just yet.

"Of course, you can." Lucy slid down the bench to allow room for me to sit.

"I would like to formally apologize for my actions, they were inexcusable and I am truly sorry for them. If I had known who you were…" I couldn't find the right words.

"It's alright; Peter told us why you did it." Susan's voice was much gentler than I had expected, and she smiled at me, "Any one of us would have done the same thing, had we been in your situation. What is your name, by the way?"

"Acacia, milady. I am the youngest daughter of King Caspian the Ninth, and second in line for the throne."

"Second in line? Well, well, Peter didn't tell us you were a princess." Edmund chuckled.

Peter bent his head towards his brother, "I thought you would put the pieces together, she is the sister of a prince…" He turned to me with a smile. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you, sire."

"Oh, now come on. You don't have to call me sire, nor do you have to call any of us by any of those 'proper' names. You are not a peasant; you're not of any status lower than we are."

"But I am, your majesty. I am but a princess, while you are the Kings and Queens of Old. You are of much greater stance than me, I can not-" Lucy cut me off.

"Acacia, if anyone should be calling anyone by a proper name, it is us who should be calling you and Caspian majesty. You are the current rulers of the Narnians."

"But was it not to you whom Aslan himself said 'Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia'?"

"It was," Susan agreed, "but still, no more formalities between us. Please."

I bowed my head, "Yes, milady." Then I realized, "Oh, I need to get outside." I stood up.

The Pevensie children followed me out to the great lawn of the Howe.

"Why do you need to be out-oh my" Edmund saw the army of Narnians waiting for me.

"I am the second in command, and no one knows enough about Telmarain battle strategies to teach the Narnians how to fight."

"Not even Caspian?" Susan questioned.

"No," I laughed. "He may be the elder child, but he only paid enough attention to be able to fight a general for a while." I sighed, wiping tears away from my face, "All of the teachers would tell you that I was the better fighter, because I learn quickly and I remember everything." Then I called out, "Narnians! Gather round, soldiers!

"Now, the next few days will be very demanding of each and every one of you. You will be tested for endurance, stamina, will to continue to fight for what you love, and many other things. Here I will teach you to expect anything and everything that a Telmarain will might try against you; I will teach you to look for give-aways, things that will show you what a man is about to do; battle strategies; and movements of the weapons.

"I will not stand for tricks, cheeks, or insubordination. Am I understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" they all replied.

"Good. Let's see, High King Peter?" his head snapped back to look at me, "Yes you. Could you come up here, please?"

"Of course, Princess Acacia." He moved through the crowd and stood next to me. "How may I help you?"

"I need someone with actual experience to help me with a demonstration. Now, soldiers, I want you to watch us; the way our bodies move, the way we hold our swords and so on and so forth. Ready, King Peter?"

"As I'll ever be." Our swords were drawn.

"Do not think of me as a girl who you might accidentally hurt, think of me as nothing but your enemy, someone you really hate." I took my stance…and we fought.

The battle lasted for several minutes before I called for him to stop the attack.

"Peace! Peace to you, Peter." We lowered our weapons and I turned to the warriors "Now what did you notice about our movements?"

"You were the more fluid of the two, with the force of water…but King Peter was more fierce, like a young lion." Said a Minotaur.

"He seemed to pay more attention to where the end of his sword was going, rather that where yours was." A Dwarf called out.

"Very good, but there is something else. Something deeper."

"Peter seemed disappear within his sword, feeling with his mind," Lucy said calmly, "but you stayed grounded, you felt your sword with your arm, while your mind concentrated on where his was. Your whole body was put behind your sword, it looked as if you were dancing, and next to you, Peter looked like he was lumbering along like a bear with a sword…no offence, Bears."

"Exactly, Queen Lucy. I am not trying to be rude, but Peter's movements were those of a great warrior who did not think about his movements and those of his opponent, but acted now, thought later. My movements were those of a dancer, as you said, while his were stiff yet practiced. Peter?"

He was steaming. "Yes?"

"How long has it been since you last fought with that sword…in your world?"

"Almost a year, but I have been fencing with a rapier."

"_HA!_" a Rayn came forward, "I have seen what you humans call fencing, it is more like children hopping about with thin sticks that are made more for whacking."

"Rayn, do not be disrespectful. I have seen and participated in this sport, it takes much more balance and stamina than it looks. Fencing is one thing you will learn in the next few days, but the Narnian version. However, first, we need to become a bit more limber. You might be surprised how much your survival will depend on being able to dodge a blow with flexibility rather than just attacking with brute force.

"Come now, men…and women, place all of your weapons to the side of the area," they did so. "Good, now try to follow these movements."

_Susan POV_

Acacia was a wonderful teacher; she taught the soldiers how to move with an absolute grace that many of them did not have. I learned much about how to move with and use swords, daggers, and crossbows from her in the short period of three days; and I had always just used my bow to fight. Then again, I didn't do much fighting the last time we were here. But I knew that, if she got her way (which she probably would), Acacia would have me fighting any and all Telmarains that came within five feet of me.

But there was something about her…I couldn't quite put my finger on it. She looked almost nothing like Caspian; who had dark skin, hair, and eyes. Acacia, on the other hand, had golden brown skin, light brown hair, and green eyes. And the way that Peter looked at her…it was as if he were under some sort of spell. He stared openly at her and smiled whenever she looked at him. Then there was that look in his eyes, a sort of longing, like Peter was wishing to do or tell her something that was important.

And Caspian…well what could I say, he was handsome and caring. He watched over his sister like a mother did over her young, and she looked up to yet down at him…at the same time. She was younger in years, but she was far superior to him in so many other ways.

"Queen Susan? Are you alright?" Caspian jerked me out of my thoughts. I smiled at him.

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just remembering your sister's wonderful lesson today. Where did she learn to fight like that?"

Caspian started chuckling as he began to walk, "Some of it she learned from me, some from the general who taught us both. Glozelle, he was always her favorite Telmarain man, second only to me. That is why our uncle, Miraz, assigned him as our instructor."

"She told us that the reason she was teaching the soldiers was because she was the one who paid attention to all of the lessons."

"That would be true. Acacia has always had a better memory for almost everything, so I asked her to do it."

"Almost everything? What doesn't she remember?"

"Specific orders that are given to her."

"Such as…"

"Such as Miraz telling her," he put on a face and deepened his voice, " 'you must be inside the castle before sunset, and it is for your own protection.' 'You are not to wear those dreadful men's clothes unless you are training.' 'A guard is to accompany you everywhere outside of your room.'" His voice and face went back to normal. "She never listens to things like that, Acacia is like a river...she can not be held back."

"Has she always been like that?"

"Yes, ever since anyone can remember. When she wants to do something, you had better get out of her way, otherwise she will trample you."

"That sounds like Peter."

"It does?"

"Yeah," I giggled, "Peter is the eldest, so he is used to taking care of all three of us, and making all of the decisions along the way. Once he makes up his mind to do something, he will stick to it until it's done."

"That would be because he is a Taurus." Said a girl's voice behind us. Acacia walked up to us.

"A Taurus?" Caspian inquired.

"Yes, the zodiacs sign of the bull. He is hard-headed, but grounded at the same time. Although that's not his real star sign, he certainly acts like it."

"Oh, of course. And what are you, my dear sister?"

"I feel like an Aquarius, like true water I flow and carve through even the strongest rocks. I am easy going, but a vengeance can and will bubble over if one is not careful. However, I am really a Leo, the lion, fiery yet calm."

"Uh huh," Caspian hugged her, "If you are anything at all, you would have to be a combination of those two. Come on, let's go get some lunch."

Acacia's laugh was like bells, "Very well, are you coming, Susan?"

"Yes," my voice cracked as I started toward the dining hall.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six-Plans.

_Acacia POV_

So, I had walked up on Caspian and Susan talking about me and Peter, and what I heard was them comparing us to each other. I was so involved in my own thoughts that I walked straight into someone and bounced off of them, landing on my backside.

"Oh, jeez. Acacia, I so sorry, I wasn't looking at where I was going. Are you alright?" Peter rambled on and on as he helped me up.

"I'm fine, Peter. I wasn't paying much attention to where I was going either. I-" but a Faun ran up to him and said, gasping,

"Telmarains, sire!"

"What are you talking about? How can they know about this place?" I asked in a fury.

"I was on my watch and when I looked out into the mist, I saw a man on a horse. As soon as he realized that I had seen him, he rode off. I came looking for you immediately; I thought you should be one of the first to know."

"Thank you…"

"Treon, my lady. Treon, great-grandson of Tumnus."

"Thank you Treon heir of Tumnus, you may go now, we need time to plan." And the Faun took off once more.

"Plan? Plan for what?" the young king probably didn't know much about planning an attack.

"First of all, we need to assemble your siblings, Caspian, and the group leaders. Come, we do not have much time, follow me." I took his hand and we ran to the dining hall again.

_Peter POV_

_This girl is absolutely amazing. Acacia can assemble a meeting, tell the "group leaders" about what is coming, and then start talking about what we should do…all in one breath._

"Peter? Are you with us?" she turned her bright green eyes on me.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, sorry. So…if the Telmarains already know where we are then it is only a matter of time before they attack."

The Dwarf, Trumpkin, asked, "What do you suppose we do?"

Caspian and I started talking at the same time,

"We should fight."

"We need to wait." We looked at each other, and then he motioned for me to proceed.

"Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us. We-"

"That is crazy; no one has ever taken their castle before!" Caspian cut me off.

"Well, there's a first time for everything." I continued.

"We'd have the element of surprise." Trumpkin agreed.

"But we have the advantage _here._" Caspian seemed totally bent on staying out of his uncle's way. Then Susan interceded.

"If we dig in, we could probably hold up our defenses." _Traitor._

"Yes, but if they're smart, the Telmarains will just wait and starve us out." Edmund pointed out.

"We could collect nuts." A Squirrel said twitching.

"Yes, and throw them at the Telmarains!" Reepicheep shot back sarcastically, "_Shut_ _up_." Then he turned to me, "I think you know where I stand, sire."

Trufflehunter waddled to the front, "Well I, for one, feel safer underground."

There was only one person who hadn't said anything during the entire fight.

"Acacia, what do you think?" she had her back to us, staring at the image of Aslan. "Acacia? Are you alright?" She didn't respond.

"She can't hear you, just give her a moment." Caspian stood next to me.

"Why can't she hear us?"

"She is trying to look into the future. My sister has the ability of visions, that is how she knew that you had returned to Narnia." He turned his attention back to Acacia as she stirred.

"My sight is veiled. I can only see beyond the next two days, but those days…I can't see." Acacia looked at us, "I agree with Peter, they will not be expecting us to attack them, and they do not know how many of us there are. The Telmarains are waiting for the bridge at Beruna to be finished; they will rally against us when it is."

_Ha, take that, Susan. You agreed with him because you have taken a fancy in him, but what will you do when his sister has agreed with the brother that you didn't._

"Acacia, think about it. If we attack now, we risk losing our men in a battle that they are not ready for."

"Really, Caspian? I happen to think that they have been ready for this battle for nearly thirteen hundred years, and I will fight along side them…even if it costs me my life."

"It won't be enough." A small voice whispered behind me. I turned and saw Lucy.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Our army won't be enough against them, they don't have the hope that they need to win."

"Lucy, I don't think you've really been listening."

"No, you listen! Or have you forgotten who really defeated the White Witch, Peter?"

_Anger…betrayal…hurt._

"I think we've waited for Aslan long enough." And I left.

_Acacia POV_

_Poor Peter. Lucy shouldn't have said that, I know she has unfathomable trust in Aslan, but he's been gone for so long._

Peter stormed out of the hall after Lucy's little comment, and she was about to go after him.

"No, Lucy. Let me talk to him. This is something much deeper than just having all the glory taken from him." Then I ran to catch up to him.

I looked everywhere in the Howe, Peter was nowhere to be found. I finally asked someone and they told me they had seen him almost running outside. With a thank you, I followed a set of footprints to the base of a giant oak. I still didn't see him until I looked up into the tree.

"Peter?" he didn't look at me, he just sat there. "Peter, please talk to me. I'm sure Lucy didn't mean what she said, she was probably just worried about what would happen to all of her subjects."

_Sniff, _"No, she meant it." He was crying. "Lucy has always had a very strong personality, but it comes out at the wrong time a lot."

I knew he wasn't going to come down, so it seemed that I was going to have to go up to him. I jumped up to the first branch, holding on with just my fingers, and after getting a better grip, I swung like a gymnastics girl onto the second branch. From then on it was just foot here, hand there, then I was right in front of him.

"Peter," I sighed, "Sometimes family can drive us crazy. I mean-"

"That is a bit of an understatement." I gave him 'the look.'

"I was going to say…just look at us and Miraz, he is the reason why Caspian and I were driven to seek out the Narnians, to seek out you."

"But that's not the same thing."

"Yes it is. How do you think we feel that our own flesh and blood is trying to get rid of us just to get the throne? We have no parents to hold him off, and we have to fight him on our own. The only people that will help us are the very creatures that we were taught were bits and pieces of myths, creatures that we were taught to fear. Caspian and I only know anything about the Narnians…or you, for that matter, because our tutor decided to go against our uncle's orders.

"Peter, I know how it feels to be betrayed by the one's you love, and it's terrible. But sometimes we need to just suck it up and stick it out. Because if we don't, we run the risk of being used by other people and being bound tighter than a slave."

"How is it that you know about all of these things?" the tears still flowed freely down his face.

I took out my handkerchief and gently wiped the salty liquid away, "Because I have lived much of the same things that you have, and many times, things like this will make a person wise beyond their true years. You said yourself, beauty can be inside and out, and wisdom is one of those beautiful things that can be terrible."

"But was it not you that said you would rather be ugly with a good heart?"

"Yes, but I suppose I will have to do with a beautiful face _and_ a beautiful heart. Peter, you cannot hide out here until night falls."

"Says who?" the Taurus was showing.

"Says me. You must face the things that you fear most…and at the moment, I think that you are afraid of making a stupid mistake while trying to lead our troops. But you mustn't be, because you are High King Peter the Magnificent. You are the eldest of the Kings and Queens of Old; I believe that you will lead us to victory."

"You believe in me?" I nodded. "Wow…er, thank you. I didn't think you were the kind of girl that would tell a guy something like that, but thank you nonetheless."

"You are very welcome. The love of your family, that of your friends, and followers will overcome any 'butterflies', this I know for a fact." I told him.

Peter chuckled, "You are the best friend I've ever known. I just wish you could come back to our world with us."

"I may be able to, but if Caspian is killed, then I'm afraid that I will have to stay here."

"What if you left it to Miraz?"

_Gasp!_ I almost slapped him, which was not a good feeling for me. Now it was my turn for tears.

"How could you say that, when you know what he would do to the Narnians?"

"Oh, God. Acacia, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking about that."

"Well, obviously. If Caspian is to fall, then I will be the only one left to defeat Miraz, and it would be me who was to succeed the throne. I can not abandon my people like that, it's wrong."

"I know, I don't know why I said that. You are too good and kind to even consider leaving them to his will."

"Thank you. Now, shall we go back inside? I do believe we have an ambush to plan."

"Sure." He smiled and we went back to the hall.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Six-Time to fly.

That night, Edmund flew ahead of the others with a griffin. We waited until we saw his funny torch light through the fog, and then followed him. Our army waited at the edge of the forest, then moved forward when the light signaled us. Caspian, Peter, Susan, Trumpkin, and I moved silently as we glided towards the castle.

My brother was not happy that we followed Peter's plan, but it did seem the most logical way to go. Lucy would not be coming with us, because she was so young and so small, that she would probably be more of a hindrance than a boon to our ambush.

Susan looked at me and I nodded. We were almost to the place where we would be dropped off by our mounts. Caspian killed a man before us continuing our progress. A soldier on patrol almost shot at Edmund's light, but Susan shot him first. We set our feet on the ground, and Peter got the first kill with the sword.

Another guard glanced our way and I pulled the others down.

"We must be especially careful from here on out. There are guards posted every sixty feet or so, and all of them are armed."

"How do you know this, Acacia?" Caspian asked me.

"Nighttime wonderings and my maids not shutting up about their…encounters." I cleared my throat, "Anyway, once we get about halfway down the wall, we need to drop down with this rope into Professor Cornelius' study."

"Alright, let's go." Trumpkin started to walk away before I caught him by his collar.

"Not yet, I still have to do something." I stood up and lightly blew until all of the walkways were covered in a light fog.

"Well then, that was interesting. Now can we go?"

"Yes." And we went.

We finally made it to the ledge where I dropped a length of rope down to the window sill.

"Caspian, you go first, Peter you follow. I will lower Susan and Trumpkin down, and then follow myself."

"Hurry, and be careful," Caspian told me in a hushed voice.

"I will. Go."

After they had all gone down, I lowered the rope again and climbed down. The only reason I was last, was because someone had to lower Trumpkin (who was too short to actually lower himself), and Susan (who was wearing a skirt and I would not have her mooning anyone who happened to look up.)

My feet had barely touched the floor when Caspian picked up the Professor's spectacles.

"I have to find him."

"We don't have time; you need to get to the gatehouse." Peter insisted.

"None of us would even be here if it weren't for him. Acacia and I would be dead, and you would never have been called here."

Peter looked at Susan, "You and I can handle Miraz." She told him.

"And I could still get to the gatehouse in time."

"Caspian, go. It will take some time for the head to die." They all looked at me funny. "Cut the head off the snake, then the body dies. Miraz is the head of everything that has happened."

"Good point. But what are you going to do?" Peter obviously hadn't paid attention to this part.

"I'm going to open the gate."

"Isn't that his job?" Trumpkin gestured to my brother.

"The gatehouse controls the bridge, not the actual gate."

"Then why is it-"

"We don't have time for this; just go do your jobs. If you still want to ask me later, then do so after we've gone back to the Howe. Please?"

"Right. Going." Everyone took off in a different direction.

I snuck down towards the kitchens, passing only one cook on her way to bed. I found a few of my very good friends and warned them to leave the castle, which they did as soon as I told them why. With that done, I stalked into the courtyard. I was on the other side when I saw soldiers running to hold back the others.

"Signal the troops, Ed, now!" Peter yelled up to Edmund.

"I'm a bit busy, Pete!" I saw him knock out the man he was fighting, only to find out that his funny torch thing didn't work.

The High King ran to the portcullis and began to turn the spoke next to it.

"Peter, it's too late! We have to call it off while we still can!"

"No, I can still do this!" I ran up to them. "Help me!"

Caspian glanced at me and I just shook my head and moved forward to help turn it.

"Exactly who are you doing this for, Peter?" he just stared at his sister

Edmund had finally gotten his torch to work and had signaled the troops, who were charging through the now open gate.

We turned, and Peter yelled, "For Narnia!" Which I thought was strange, considering his famous quote was 'For Narnia and for Aslan!' I guess times change.

However, the fight started going _very_ badly for us only moments later. I knew this first hand, because I saw the Narnians that were falling down around me. I was shot in my right shoulder with one of the crossbow bolts. I turned to fend off my attacker, only to feel a blinding, white-hot pain in the side of my skull the next second.

_Darkness enveloped me, causing all of the fiery pain to subside._

I awoke to find myself on the floor of a dungeon cell with my hands tied behind my back. I could feel the wound bleeding profusely. My brain was still fuzzy when I heard someone walking towards the door.

"Open in!" Miraz's voice penetrated the silence, and the sound of a key turning in the lock made me try to sit up. I would not be seen as weak by anyone, let alone the man who was trying to kill me. "You're awake. Good."

"What do you want, Miraz?" my voice was rough from pain and dehydration.

"I merely wanted to make sure that my _darling_ niece was comfortable."

"Liar. You've always either been very bad at lying to me, or I've always been too good at reading people for you to do so."

"You always were a spiteful child, even as a baby. Now, where are the Narnians?"

"Like I would tell you. Besides, you should already know…or didn't you realize that one of your soldiers was found in our territory?"

"No matter, I will find your precious _Narnian _friends and crush them all to dust! When we Telmarains are finished with them, there will be nothing left for you to mourn over."

"I would just love to see you try_._ Caspian and the Royals will never allow Narnia to fall to you." I spat at his feet, "_Reino Bastardo*! _"

"Watch your language, little princess. You are in the presence of the new king."

"You will never truly be king, Miraz. The throne is rightfully Caspian's and there is nothing that you could ever do to make the Telmarain people love you."

"I am the eldest child, _thora**_, therefore, the throne is mine."

"No, Grandfather Caspian the Eighth decided that our father would be a better king, and he was right."

Miraz had had enough, so instead of merely walking away (never gonna happen) he stepped forward and slapped me across the face, throwing me on the floor again. He leaned over me.

"Your little romance with the…Old king, it is amusing. I think I'll bring him here, let you actually say goodbye to him, before we wring every last drop of information out of him."

"I am not having a romance with High King Peter, and if you even touch him, I will gut, castrate, and then quarter you! If you lay a hand on any of them, you will suffer more pain that you would at the hands of the professional torturer."

"That may be so. But you won't be able to do anything to me, not if _you_ were the one being tortured. Guard!" the false king yelled.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" my jailer came in, waiting for his orders.

"Take this consort of the enemy and give her to the master of the torture room. Tell him that King Miraz orders her to endure any and all punishments of a traitor."

"Yes, milord." The man grasped me by my wounded arm, pulling me into a half standing position. "Come on, now. Resistance is useless."

"I swear, in the name of Aslan and all that is holy, that before my time is done, I will look down upon your corpse and smile." With that I was dragged away.

**So…how was it? Feedback people, feedback! Also, I have a challenge for all of my avid readers. I have two lines that are from two movies that are not Narnia. One from "Troy" (yes the one with Brad Pitt) and one from "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". See if you can spot them and I will give a sneak peek of the grand finally. Muhahahahahaha! I is evil. Well, enjoy. Toodles!**

**AcaciaDawn.**

*****_**Bastard King**_

_****whore**_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Seven-Love, Loyalty, and Lust.

The pain was very nearly unbearable. The first thing that the dungeon masters decided for me was the rack. My hands and feet were bound on opposite sides of a wooden board, and if I didn't answer their questions the way they wanted me to, a wheel was turned. The wheel tightened the rope around my wrists and ankles, which then pulled them in different directions.

"_AHHH!"_ I screamed. Both of my shoulders were dislocated, as well as one of my hips.

"Tell us where they are." Cooed the master.

"_Never!_"

"Tut-tut, wrong answer." He pulled it tighter, causing me to cry out again as I felt my ankle creaking. I knew that they would check to see if any appendages were out of place, that way they could pop them back in and cause me even more pain afterwards.

After the rack was the whip. The whip was nothing like when a father puts a disobedient child over his knee for the belt…no, it was a hundred times worse. The man's assistant tied me to a wooden stand, while the master readied himself.

"Do you wish to confess?"

"I have done nothing wrong. I have merely chosen to serve the country that I love by fighting a false king who had tried to kill my brother, the rightful heir to the throne, and myself."

"Wrong answer again, deary." The _crack_ of the whip was nowhere near as frightening as the feeling itself was. The burning pain that blinded me as the whip tore through the skin and muscle of my back. And it continued relentlessly.

The men that a king or his advisors chose for the job of dungeon masters were often cruel and enjoyed the sound of other people's pain. These men were no different.

After the whip, while my back was still freshly bleeding, they took me to the next devise…the branding iron. The iron was in the shape of a falcon, part of the royal seal.

"_Please, stop it!" _I wanted to beg, to plead and cry that they let me go. But I knew that it would do no good. These men were not the sort to give up easily, especially with Miraz's orders behind them.

After I was thrown back into my cell, it took only minutes for the false king to find out that I still had not given up on my friends. And when he learned that I had not said a word against them, he decreed that any of the men could have me…

I tried to fight, but I was so weak that even one of the new recruits held me down easily. I wanted to die, and believe me, I begged. But the end did not come. The men had their way with me until morning broke, and I was locked up again. As soon as I was able, I dragged myself to the latrine bucket and vomited the entire contents of my stomach into it. When I was finished, I simply lay there, hoping that Aslan would take pity on his brutalized daughter and set me free from the life that would surly now consist of my being raped every night until I was too old to be of desire.

Still, I was happy that I had lived through the night. But I dreaded what I knew would come the next night, and the night after that. The soldier came for me that evening, and the night before was repeated.

This happened three nights in a row before Miraz came for me once again. This time, it was to bring me to the battlefield where my friends and family would be slaughtered. I was lying in the tent off to the side of the royal meeting tent when I heard that an envoy of the Narnians was to be heard not thirty feet from where I sat listening.

The voice I heard was that of Edmund, the second son of Adam, third child, the Just King.

"'I, Peter, High King of Cair Paravel, Emperor of the Lone Island, and Lord of all Narnia," he began, "do hereby challenge the usurper, Miraz, to single combat upon the field of battle. The fight shall be to the death, and the reward will be total surrender'"

There was a pause. Then Miraz spoke, he was wondering about the proposal. Their conversation got heated, then boiled down to little more than petty threats.

"By the way, we were wondering about to Acacia?"

"Acacia? What about her?"

"What did you do with her? We all know that you captured her."

"General Glozelle?"

"You're Majesty?"

"Bring the girl out. Let King Edmund see what happens to those who betray their rightful king."

I heard someone walking towards the tent, and then Glozelle pushed the flap aside.

"Come one now. You are needed outside, princess."

"What is it with you men and tormenting me about being a princess?" I let him pull me up and half drag me to the others. I was thrown onto the ground.

"Acacia!" Edmund was instantly by my side, pulling up so that my torso rested in his arms. "What have you done to her?"

"Just a bit of persuasion."

"Monster!"

"Edmund, I'm fine. Are the others alright?"

"Just worried about you, that's all. Miraz, Peter and Caspian also wanted me to order you to bring Princess Acacia to the fight tomorrow."

"Very well. I suppose it would be good for the traitor to see her beloved people fail to defend what they apparently love."

"Good." Then he whispered to me, "Don't worry, the Caspian and Peter will find a way to get you free by the time the fight is over."

"Thank you for checking on me. Take these to Caspian and your siblings, just in case I am not able to do it before they kill me. You will all know which one is yours." I carefully slipped a few charms into Edmund's hands, that way the men could not see.

"Enough of this. Take the _punta*_ back to the tent."

"Watch what you say, Uncle, for it could be fatal to you."

"_Silencio! **"_ he ordered me. Then I was dragged away from the gathering.

_**Lucy POV**_

When my brother came back from Miraz's camp, he wore a look of despair on his face. Most of us were waiting for him, only Peter was out behind the Howe.

"What happened out there?" Caspian urged as soon as he saw Edmund enter the hall.

"Only one good thing. I found out that Acacia is alive…sort of."

"What do you mean sort of? What has that tyrant done to her?"

That was how we found out. Caspian's face fell and so did he.

"No." he moaned when his knees hit the ground.

Then Peter walked in.

"Hey, sorry I wasn't here. Rayn said you had news."

"Acacia is alive, but she's a bit worse for wear."

"Is she alright?" The High King was anxious to no end that day.

"Not really. Her back is completely shredded, and she's covered in bruises from head to toe."

"How can you know?" Caspian struggled to stand, so Susan helped him.

"They changed her clothes. When I saw her, she was wearing a short tank top and a skirt that was only up to her knees in the front, then down to her ankles in the back. Her hair looked like a blind hairdresser did it…really tacky."

"By Aslan!" the poor boy had tears streaming down his face now, as if someone had just died. But from what came next, they might have.

"What is it?" I spoke up finally.

"That is the type of outfit that Telmarain cortisans are made to wear, that way everyone can pick them out from the rest of the community. I can't imagin that she would be wearing it willingly, so Miraz must have told the men to take her." by the time he was done, Caspian was gasping.

"You don't mean…" Susan choked out.

"I'm afraid so. Acacia would never so something like that, I know because she tells me everything. My sister is no longer a virgin. Edmund, did she tell you anything?"

"When I saw her, she told me to give you these, and that we would know which one was ours." With that he pulled out six beautifully ornaminted charms one rawhide cords. I instanly picked up one that I was drawn to like a fly to honey, and so did everyone else. Peter was the last one to take his, he looked at it as if it were the only thing holding him to Earth.

**READ AND REVIEW PEOPLE! I need more feedback!**

**Love you all,**

**AcaciaDawn.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine~Fading Into the Ground

Peter POV

"Come on, Peter! Get him!" a voice came from the sidelines. When I turned to for a moment to see who it was…she was there. She had managed to get away on her own. I felt a smile creep up onto my face…until hers slid away. "Watch out!"

I turned just in time to block Miraz's attack.

Acacia POV

I was having a hard time watching the fight, especially when I had to watch my dreaded uncle hurt him. Stepping on the shield of your opponent when he was on the ground was a dirty rotten trick, and the snapping sound that Peter's shoulder made put my stomach into knots. I had to turn away. But there was nothing I could do to make the fight stop; it was a fight to the death, a ceremonial one at that.

"Acacia," Edmund's voice broke through my revere, making me face Peter as he stumbled towards us.

"You're alive?!" Oh, that beloved voice. The voice that comforted me so much when we were younger, that made me sleep when I was plagued by nightmares. Caspian pulled me into what could only be called a bear hug. It hurt.

"Ow, Casp, not so rough. I'm alive…barely. They got rid of most of the superficial damage, but I'm still a bit worse for wear." I told him. Then I turned and gently hugged Susan and Peter before slipping away to keep an eye on my uncle.

As Caspian and Susan told us what happened, I realized that Peter's eyes never left me. My eyes met his briefly before I ducked my head, feeling a blush creeping up my face. Susan gave me a gentle hug, and then left to go with the other archers. Then, Edmund made Peter sit down so that he could pop his shoulder back into the socket. I supposed that being a young king at war could leave one with a few tricks of the trade…

"Ed, what do you think happens back home? If you die here, I mean?" the look on his face was so sad.

"You're not going to die, Peter. Aslan will not allow it." I told the High King comfortingly.

But he just smiled, and then looked back at his younger brother. "You know, you've always been there for me, and I never really-AH!" Peter's face contorted in pain and I heard the sickening POP as his shoulder realigned itself.

"Save it for later." Edmund said, patting him on the back.

The three minutes were up, and the fight was back on. After only a few minutes, it was over. Peter's sword was poised for the final strike. Part of me was screaming for him to deliver the blow. But the other part, the part of me that knew Peter's heart (though not as well as I would like to) and my own, was silently begging him to drop the sword.

"Now's not really the time for chivalry, Peter." Edmund called from beside me.

"No! Don't. Peter, please, don't…" I whispered to myself.

Miraz saw an opportunity, a chink in the boy-king's armor. "What's wrong, boy? Too cowardly to take a life?"

I could practically feel the tension rolling off of Peter's shoulders as he held the sword aloft. But, then, he managed to lower it. "It's not mine to take." And he turned to Caspian, holding out the weapon.

When my brother had taken it from Peter, the blond haired youth hobbled over to me. I silently put my arm around his waist, as to not aggravate his shoulder, and smiled up at him. He smiled back and pulled me closer, pressing his lips to my hair.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, alright?" he whispered. But I couldn't speak, so I just nodded. His smile grew a little before he turned back to the quiet conversation taking place before us. Suddenly, Caspian yelled and stabbed downward. I thought he had finished the job, but then Miraz looked up in confusion as to why he was not dead yet.

He whispered something to the elder warrior, then I heard "Keep your life…But I am giving Narnia back to the Narnians." I felt my face split into a grin when he turned away and began walking towards us. I moved away from the young king to embrace my princely big brother* and bury my face in his chain-mail.

"I'm so proud of you, Casp." I told him.

"Thank you, but I was only trying to do what our father would have." Then he held me at arm's length to look me over, "Are you alright?"

"Humph, me? I'll be fine. I might scar a little, but what is life without being able to show you up a bit?" I smirked up at Caspian, who shook his head.

"Caspian!" Peter yelled, pointing behind us. When we turned, our uncle was falling to the ground, a red fletched arrow sticking out of a chink in his armor. I looked up at Susan, only to see that she was just as confused as I was. Her bow had not been loaded.

What happened after that went so fast that I hardly had any time to comprehend what was going on. All I knew was that we were at war and losing…until the trees woke up.

"Lucy." Peter stated with a small smile on his face.

I managed to get a sword and fight alongside the others. The Telmarains were beginning to fall back towards the river. I whooped with excitement and began to turn around, to give chase to the soldiers who ran me from my home, when I saw a horse galloping towards me, its rider bearing a spear. Everything began moving slower, I was like a fly trapped in amber. I didn't have time to move out of the way, I could only stand there, as if rooted in spot. Suddenly, that burning pain exploded in my belly. The spear had found its mark. I landed on my back, gasping, trying to stanch the blood that had begun to flow freely from the wound, and was also beginning to trickle from the corner of my mouth. The world flickered around me, fading in and out.

Then, Sopaspian was standing above me. "It seems your Ladyship has lost her touch." There was a grin of pure insanity cracking his face in two, "It's only a shame that your beloved brother was not here to share this wonderful moment with us," he laughed, laughed like a hyena, twisted the spear before ripping it from my torso, then turned and disappeared from my vision.

All I could do was lay there and gasp. I grabbed at my skirt, trying to find some kind of cloth to stanch the blood. But I could hardly move my hands, they were so cold, so numb. I felt the warmth begin to follow my lifeblood from the wound, into the earth, churning the dirt beneath me into red mud. Then, quite suddenly, I felt nothing at all.

_Ah, Aslan. Please, take care of them for me. Don't let anything happen to my brother…or Peter. Please…make sure Lucy and the others…make sure they…know how much…_my thoughts were getting sluggish. I couldn't…

**A/N: WAHAHA! Sorry friends, but I couldn't help myself. DUNDUNDUUUU! Cliffhanger. I've been working on this chapter forever, and I'm finally done. But I will continue in the next chapter. And BTW, there will be a sequel to this one, and I'm working on it now so I can have it up as soon as possible for my most avid readers. Review, people, and I will write and upload faster.**

**Lots of Love,**

**AcaciaDawn.**


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter Ten ~ New and Broken Promises_

**Peter POV**

We chased the Telmarains back to Beruna, trying to hack them down as we went. But when we got there, they stopped. From over the heads of the others, I saw her, my sweet baby sister, who couldn't even hurt a fly…and she was standing on the other side of the bridge with her dagger drawn, as if daring any Telmarain brave enough to cross this little girl to do so. I blinked, and suddenly Aslan was there too, walk up to Lucy's side like he was some sort of giant housecat, of course I would never say that to anyone out loud. Lord Sopaspian seemed to be thinking the same as me, because he simply began to charge across the bridge as if to cut her down, when Aslan roared so loud that it might have been heard back in England. The Telmarains stopped, and suddenly the river began to recede.

Then I saw him, the giant wall of water rushing down the river, and then rose to become a river god. He stretched from his 1300 year sleep and bowed to the Great Lion, who inclined his head, before turning his attention to the man and horse on the bridge before him. Anyone in their right minds would always know to ask the permission of the river god before building on his territory…I guess that Miraz hadn't been in right mind…well, actually, I had already known that. The god reached down and broke the bridge off as if he were a small child breaking a toy made of sticks. And then, he swallowed the bridge, Sopaspian and all and drowned them in the water by rushing on his way.

When this was all over, we crossed the river to Aslan and bowed before him.

"Rise, Kings and Queens of Narnia." And we did…all except Caspian. "All of you."

The young prince looked up briefly before saying, "I do not think I am ready."

But Aslan just smiled, "It is for that very reason I know you are."

So, he rose and stood beside us, just as we heard bagpipes playing and looked down to see Reepicheep being carried on a stretcher by his people. Lucy immediately knelt and lowered her cordial to Reep's mouth. We could see his breath hitch before becoming easier.

"Oh, why, thank you, my Queen," then he turned and saw Aslan, "Oh, Aslan! It is a great honor-whoa!" the poor mouse nearly tripped before realizing that his balance was off due to the fact of a missing tail. "Ah! I must beg your indulgence, your majesty. I am completely out of countenance. Um," he looked up at Lucy, "Perhaps, a drop more?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think it does that." She told him sorrowfully.

"You could have a go."

Aslan chuckled, "It befits you well, small one."

"All the same, my lord, a mouse without a tail has lost his honor."

"Or perhaps you think to highly of your honor."

"We-well, it's greatly useful for other things: like climbing, an-and grabbing things…"

"If it please your majesty, we could not bear a blessing that is denied our leader." All of the other mice began lifting their tails in preparation to cut them off.

Reep was looking around in amazement when Aslan spoke again, "Not for the sake of your honor, but for the love of your people." And I watched with wide eyes as Reepicheep's tail grew back, right before us. When he realized what we were staring at, he began to exclaim in his gratitude to the Great Lion.

I didn't really pay attention to what the others were saying, mostly because I was looking for Acacia so that I could hug her and swing her around in celebration…gently of course, since she was still wounded. But I couldn't find her, anywhere.

"Has anyone seen Acacia?" I asked. They all shook their head, except for Aslan, who suddenly looked very sad. "What's wrong, Aslan?"

Then a Faun, the same one that alerted us that the Telmarains knew where we were, came running up to us with Glenstorm* galloping behind him.

"Your Majesties, please, you must come quickly!"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, what's wrong?" Ed prompted.

Glenstorm was the one that answered, since Treon looked ready to pass out. "It's the Princess, my Lord, she is grievously wounded. I didn't want to risk moving her; for fear that it would cause her to bleed out faster." But I didn't hear any of it, I was already moving, running as fast as I could back to the battle field, Caspian hot on my heels. The others were calling after us.

I had to look for a moment after we broke through the tree line, before I spotted the tortured girl amongst the bodies. I ran even faster then, trying to get there in time, pray that I wasn't too late. I slid to a stop beside her and gently picked up her frail form. Acacia was pale, too pale, and her belly, hands, and dress were soaked with the blood that gushed from her wound.

"Acacia!" Caspian got there mere moments after I did, followed by the others. "Is she alright?"

"No, of course she's not!" my voice was hoarse from the tears that were threatening to overflow. "Of course she's not alright. Spear to the belly, with a severed artery." I had seen many wounds like this, and few, if any, ever even held on long enough to be found alive. And if they did, there was never anything that could be done to save them, because they were always too far gone by the time Lucy could get to them. Wait! "Lucy! Bring your cordial!"

She was just about to uncork it when Acacia's eyes fluttered open, "No, do-don't." her voice came out as a pained whisper. "Please, don't waste any on me, it's too late."

"No, Caci, please don't say that. We can still save you. Let Lucy heal you," Caspian's tears were already falling.

Her face broke into a small, pained smile. "Aw, Casp. Don't worry about me. Didn't I always tell you I was way tougher than you?"

The prince let out a watery chuckle, "Yes, and you were right, you always were. You were always better than me at everything. You should have been born first."

"Hump, no way in hell, Caspian. You're going to make a wonderful king, a far better ruler than I could ever be. Just because you think I'm better than you, it doesn't mean I am. You are the eldest, and that means you're the best. The best big brother…a girl…could ever wi…wish for." It was getting harder for her to talk.

"Shh, Acacia, you shouldn't speak. Here, Lucy will fix you up in no time." I tried to prompt her into taking the medicine.

"Nice try, mister." The wounded girl's eyes closed for just a moment, while she gathered her strength. "I'll see you again, someday, I promise. Just promise me you won't forget…me or Narnia. Don't let us fade," she reached up to touch my face, but was too weak.

I put her hand on my face and held it there, and then the tears started for me too. All of the things I wanted to tell her, to give her, and I had moments, at best. "Acacia, please," I whispered to her, "please don't leave. You haven't even given me a proper hug yet, you can't go. Please." I closed my eyes, as if doing so would make her pain disappear if I couldn't see it.

"Oh, Peter. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you'd fallen in love with a girl over 1300 years younger than you," she chuckled before coughing. When it died down, she continued, "Of course, then I would have to confess that I was in love with a king from a faraway place, whom I had never met before. Then I would have to explain that I couldn't love him because he lived so very far away."

"What? Wh-who could that possibly be?" I was getting flustered at her comments, they were so confusing.

"Ugh, men!" she said in a falsely exasperated voice, "Even when a girl is telling you she loves you, you can't get it through those thick skulls that you use to carry maps!"

"Hey!" I began before I realized what she was saying. "Hey, you…you said you loved me?"

"Yeah, I did." Her eyes were starting to close again, and this time I was worried that it would be forever, "Good thing I did, finally."

And before I could stop myself, I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. I felt her smile and kiss back for a moment.

When I pulled away, I saw the tears in her eyes; "Yep, it's a very good thing I told you…" then her breath faded away and her eyes became glassy as her flame finally floated away.

Everyone started crying. I hugged her to me with Caspian doing the same. I kissed her again, to see if what they said in the fairy tales were true…that she would wake up when I did. But she didn't. All that happened was I felt the last of the heat from her body ebbing away. And that just made me cry harder.

I threw my head back and screamed. Screamed in frustration at Aslan for not telling us sooner so that we could have saved Acacia, screamed at the pain that tore at my chest, the feeling of my heart breaking. I could have saved her, if only I had made Lucy give her the medicine, made her be ok. But I didn't, and now I would never get the chance to hold her, to hear her laugh, to dance with her.

**A/D- Sorry folks, I know you all hate me right now, but it was completely nececary. I will update again soon, maybe even today, since I almost have the next chapter done. Peace.**

***I realized that the centaur's name was actually Glenstorm rather than Rayn, so I fixed it.**

**AcaciaDawn**


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter Eleven ~ Gone_

I felt the wound that marred her perfect skin on my own body, and it nearly ripped me in two. I would never be able to love her, and at that realization, I stood up and stumbled away, leaving her in the arms of her grieving brother. None of them noticed my absence, since they were all fixated on the girl that they had all grown to love now lying dead in the grass. I ran to the forest, and ran until I couldn't anymore, which wasn't very far. I leaned against one of the giant oaks and looked down at my hands. Acacia's blood stained them redder and dark than I would have ever imagined was possible. And I retched. Once I had finally emptied the contents of my stomach (which, thankfully, wasn't very much), I crawled to the stream and scrubbed at my hands and face until the skin was pink and raw. Then I leaned against the tree again and looked up.

It was our tree…or, rather, the tree where Acacia had found me after the fight I had with Lucy. With the last of my strength, I climbed up to the branches where we had sat, the place where my heart was touched for the first time by a girl…no, not a girl, a woman. And through the tears, I saw, there amongst the leaves, hung the handkerchief that she had used to dry my tears. I reached up and gently plucked it from the twigs. When I pressed it to my face, I realized that it still smelled like her, the woman I had fallen in love with and not even known it. It smelled like vanilla, and sunshine, and…everything that was good in the world. Just like her.

The tears began anew.

"Peter," a calm voice pulled me from my misery. Aslan stood at the base of the tree where I sat. I climbed down and faced him.

"Why didn't you warn us? We could have saved her if we had known a little earlier. She might have actually let us cure her if we hadn't gotten there too late. What's wrong with you? I thought you cared for all life in Narnia, and yet you just sit by and let them die, one after the other, and you don't even try to help them, even when they're crying out for someone to save them! If you had just shown yourself to us before now, we wouldn't have had this battle and Acacia wouldn't have gotten hurt! Hell! She might not have even gotten kidnapped during the raid if you had shown up earlier! What if-" then Aslan cut me off.

"Are you planning on yelling all afternoon, or are you going to let me explain?" I felt like a small child being chastised. "I do care for all life, Peter. Not just in Narnia, but in all worlds. But I cannot save them all. If I did, then what would be the point in free will? I did not want to stand back and allow all of this to happen, but it is just something that had to happen. It is not up to me to save them, they have to do that on their own, if not with a bit of help. But that help cannot always come from me. I am simply an outlet for faith, not the creator of it.

"I did not want Acacia to die, that was her choice. She was the one who chose not to take the very thing that could heal her, because she knew that everything that happens, it happens for a reason."

"But why did she want to leave so badly? I thought that she would at least stay to say goodbye."

"Ah, but you see, young king, she did. What was the last thing she did?"

I thought about it for a moment. "She kissed me."

"Yes. That was her way of saying goodbye to you, because it was too hard for her to bear thinking that she might not ever see you again. And she wasn't in such a hurry to leave. If she was, do you really think that she would have held on as long as she did? Do you really think that she would have fought the pain long enough to see her brother, to see _you_, if she was wanting to die?"

"No," I hung my head in shame when I realized that I had accused her of deserting me just like the Narnians blamed me for deserting them to the Telmarains. "No, she wouldn't have."

Aslan smiled, a small, sad smile before turning away.

"Aslan?" I called.

"Yes?" He turned back to me.

"_Will_ I ever see Acacia again?" I asked him, waiting with baited breath for his answer.

"Hm. I dare say you just might…someday." And with that, the Great Lion left me with nothing more than a handkerchief and my own thoughts.


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter Twelve~ Going Home._

Peter POV

The celebration of the joining of Telmar and Narnia was in full swing when Caspian was finally declared king. As soon as that was done, we took Acacia, along with all the other Narnians that we found on the battlefield to the fields surrounding the palace for a cremation ceremony. Since she was the princess, Acacia was laid at the top of the hill, where the entire kingdom could grieve her death. Her maids had done an exceptional job with her preparations…and it broke my heart even further. Acacia, the Flower of Telmar. She looked so beautiful. If it weren't for the deathly palor of her skin, one might almost think she was just asleep. Her hair was done up in waves that fell against her pyre like a dark halo. The maids had put her in her best dress, a flattering wine red color with silver edging and lions prowling through the leaves on her skirt.

At that moment, I could no longer feel anything. I watched Caspian read from a book of departing prayers, and numbly took the torch that was handed to me, lighting the kindle. When I stood back, I felt Lucy wrap her arms around my waist and bury her face into my chest. _I have to be strong for her, for the others. That is my duty…as a king, and as a big brother. I can't just give up_.

I could practically hear her, chastising me for worrying about her and telling me that she wasn't worth the time and energy of grieving. Oh, how wrong she would have been if she said something like that…to any of us. She was one of us, part of our family, as was Caspian. And, Caspian…he was her brother. What right did I have to sulk and feel guilty when he probably felt that he was supposed to be her protector, the one that she went to at night when she had been plagued by nightmares? I shed no tears, I had to keep up the mask of a great king, a pillar of strength.

But when I got to my room for the night, I broke down. I cried harder than I ever had in my entire life. This was the time when I had to truly accept that she was gone, forever. I felt more pain, a hundred times worse than before. Like someone had ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it right before my eyes. So this is what it felt like to loose someone you love? Once again, I began to question Aslan, question his decisions. She was the purest of the pure, and he let her be tainted by the unholy rubbish of a mad king and his servants. He took her away in the most gruesome of ways, the most painful. She should have died of old age, comfortable in her bed and surrounded by family, not on in the blood and horse shit churned mud of the battlefield.

A Week Later

It was time for us to go, and I knew it was. Aslan had explained to Susan and me why we couldn't come back, but I figured that the younger two wouldn't understand. The day that Caspian declared that Telmarains and Narnians would share the land, and that Telmarains that didn't want to stay could leave, we had to follow them.

And my prediction came true. Lucy was almost in tears when she heard that Susan and I wouldn't return. In all honesty, it was probably for the best that I didn't stay. There were too many reminders of Acacia where ever I went. So we said good-bye…Susan doing so by kissing the new king (leave it to her to romanticize everything). Then we went through the portal, and I felt a small pang in what was left of my heart, knowing that I would never go back. I was quiet as we went back to our bench, where we had left our things. We boarded the train, and I was lost in my own mind.

The doors were just about to close when we heard someone yell.

"Wait, please! Hold the door!" A girl cried from just down the tunnel.

I reacted out of instinct, reaching out and grabbing the door before it could close completely. The girl rushed in and I released it.

"Oh, thank you, so much," she said breathlessly. "I was sure I was going to be left." In the back of my mind, I realized that she had a strange accent, almost familiar. But I couldn't see her face for the wide brimmed hat she wore as she pulled up her stocking. "Damned things. I haven't the slightest idea how girls can be expected to wear something so horrid. Give me a good ol' pair of _pantalones_ any day over these infernal things."

Then she straightened up. "Sorry. I know I shouldn't complain. They are part of the uniform." She chuckled. Oh, good God, her laugh. "But, to be completely honest, these stuffy uniforms are the most unflattering contraptions I have ever seen." She seemed to be completely unawares as to who she was talking to, more to herself than anything else. It was like she was just rambling to the space around her.

"Peter," Lucy whispered, tugging on my sleeve. When I leaned down, she muttered into my ear, "Peter…I-I think...she looks just like Acacia."

I stood up straight, but I still couldn't see her face, she was turned away from me.

"Excuse me, miss?" I said hesitantly, my heart sputtering as she turned around, almost in slow motion. She was smiling when she turned, but upon seeing me, it slid from her face. She did look just like Acacia. She even had a freckle on her chin, in the same place. None of us spoke for a moment, we were all too stunned to say anything.

"Peter?" was the whisper that broke the silence, and that was all that needed to be said. I swept her up in a hug, or as much as was possible on the train. Suddenly we all started talking at once.

"How'd you get here?"

"What happened?"

"Are you gonna stay?"

"What about Narnia?"

"I went to Aslan's Land. He gave me a choice: to stay and wait until you all joined me, or start a new life in a new world. I figured that there might be a chance that he would send me somewhere close to you, so I asked him for a new life. Aslan be praise, he must have heard my prayer. I don't know exactly how I got _here_, but I know that I'm here to stay, until Aslan calls me away for good." She said all of this in a hurried, hushed voice, acutely aware of the curious eyes that were turned towards our little reunion.

I just hugged her again, "You broke your promise." I told her when I pulled away. Acacia just looked at me for a moment, confused. "You promised that you wouldn't scare me like that again."

She smiled then, oh that smile. "Well, how was I to know that I was going to get stabbed by that damned _bastardo_, Sopaspian? I wasn't planning on scaring you half to death, I was actually planning on doing this." Then she reached up and kissed me. It was just a small, chaste kiss, but it was enough to settle my slight anger, on account of our audience.

I heard Lucy giggle, "Once again I say, I'm sure I'll understand when I'm older."

"And again I say, Lu, I'm older and I don't want to understand." Ed made a gagging noise behind me at the sight of us just standing there staring at each other. Then I hear a blow land, followed by Edmund's indignant "Ouch! What was that for, Su?"

"Leave them be. I think it's sweet."

"Well, of course you do. You're a _girl_."

But at that moment, I couldn't care less about what they thought. I had, in my arms, the love of my life, and I wasn't going to let go of her. Never again. Then, as if reading my mind, Acacia stated,

"We are still going to have to go to school you know. No public display of affection on school grounds."

"Who said it had to be public?" I whispered back, causing her to giggle like a little girl, rather than the warrior princess I knew her to be. I grasped her tighter and lifted her off of the ground, causing her to laugh.

When I put her down, I couldn't help but think _I could get used to this. No man has ever been luckier than me. I have my whole world brought back from the dead, and safe in my arms._


	13. Author's Note

**A/N: Hey everyone. So, that is officially the end of A King and A Princess, but there will be a sequel. I'm already starting on it so it should be up soon. I would be so very please if you guys would HURRY UP AND REVIEW! Reviews are love. If you don't like the story, don't review, because any hate letters will be burned and banned. **

**Anyway, I know the last chapter was kind of fuzzy and blegh, but I was kinda in a hurry to get it done. I've spent...two years on this story, and I have had quite enough of it.**

**On a happier note, the sequel will be called Sea Vixen, so keep an eye out for that one. Well, till then, ta-ta.**

**Hugs and Kisses.**

**AcaciaDawn**


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